User Reviews

Strengths: One finger braking, very powerful, full retraction, good looking.

Weaknesses: Bleeding can be a bit tough, but if you have some know how, it's fine.

Bottom Line:

Looking at the first review, someone doesn't know how to follow directions and bleed correctly. Albeit, it's not the easiest thing, but common sense should lead the way. Anyways i have been running Hope brakes for the past 7-8 years and they are really good. The V series is an outstanding brake. They are pretty much a set it and forget it brake (if you know what you're doing) but once thats sorted out, you have a true one finger brake with super power. I still have the V2's but now went to the even more powerful V4s. I put these on my SLR. Hope brakes are so good, I still have the original 6piston ti's. Those are still better than any Formula brake made today. 8 years old and still powerful and reliable. You do pay for hope brakes, but you cannot buy a better brake on the market today.

After reading the previous review I felt the need to add a post. I have used a variety of hydraulic discs from Hayes 9 and HFX, Saint, Avid Code and Juicy 7 to Ultimates. I have never had a serious complaint about any of the brakes I've used and I'm a serious rider. I think the closest brake I've used comparable to the Hopes is the Codes. I've put them both through hell and would say that the V2's blow them away overall. The biggest benefit to any rider using the Hopes is to watch their video's on initial set up and bite point / reach dial adjustment. I used the Hopes for 3 months set up totally wrong with the BPC and reach dials basically adjusted backwards from where they should be for the fell I want...and was still impressed. I finally set them up right and and with half pad life I am completely blown away. These brakes stop amazingly well and have great modulation, no squeal either. Again, take the time to set them up properly and watch the videos by Hope. I worked in a shop for many years and build my bikes..and learned something from these tutorials. They are expensive, but I found them on sale on Speedgoat for about $500 shipped (both wheels). I paid more for my Codes in store. so they are not outrageous. The quality of workmanship is that of a piece of art and is one of those pieces of kit I would keep for several bike to come. I know the majority of riders chose Avid or Shimano and I would say those are good choices. But I would recommend these brakes first to anyone looking for new stoppers. These guys know their stuff, they know how to do things without shortcuts and so to should riders learn that method when setting up kit. they just lack the marketing dollars of the SRAM and Shimano giants.

Where to start!? mmm, they do not stop your bike! I had heard so many good things about Hope that I decided to go with the V2 of the Saint, I already have codes on my other bike and wanted to try something new. So I went with the Hope's due to what I have heard, the marketing on the solid CnC master cylinder and caliper. Once I installed them, centralized them, and went through the pad,rotor break in they just didnt feel right. So I went to my LBS had them bleed the brakes which felt good on the stand, once I got on the bike with my body weight and momentum the lever pull was back to squeezing my fingers between the bar and lever. I went back and had them bleed again, checked for leaks, replaced the diaphragm, replaced the pads. Still nothing, same performance out of them. I might have 20 to 30 rides on them, they are brand new. My LBS tells me they are fine I just am not used to the modulation and I am in the process of trying to get in touch with Hope directly and so far as of 9 days the customer service seems on par with their brakes. So the new name of these brakes to me are Hopeless! DO NOT BUY THESE BRAKES!

I posted this over at the brake forum but I thought there might be a better chance that someone here has real life experience with the brakes so here it is again.
I spent a bit of time last night looking for actual weight of these brakes and can't find anything definitive. Hope says "from 546g". ... Read More »

I spent a bit of time last night looking for actual weight of these brakes and can't find anything definitive. Hope says "from 546g". What does that even mean? From? Is that one full setup with the solid 203mm disc? With the vented rotor? 203mm?
Everything else I have seen from Hope has been ... Read More »

Narrowed it down to these 2 to replace my elixir cr's (leaky seals, have to bleed'em all the time, love the way they feel when they work but time to try something else). Has anyone used both these brakes, and which do you prefer? I know i cant go wrong with either, which makes the decision tougher. ... Read More »